Bramming



Feb. 21, 1956 BRAMWNG 2,335,566

POURING STOPPEIR FOR CONTAINERS Filed July 9, 1952 IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEYS.

nite i 2,735,566 PQURING STDPPER FOR CQNTAINERS Application July 9,1952, Serial No. 297,393 2 Claims. (Cl. 215-47) This invention relatesto a stopper assembly for containers, such as vacuum bottles or thelike, and it relates more particularly to a stopper of the typedescribed capable of adjustment to closed position for establishing asealing relation with the container and to open position for permittingaccess to the container for pouring.

An object of this invention is to produce a stopper assembly of the typedescribed which is sturdy in construction, easy in operation, and formedof relatively few simple parts expediently inserted in their assembledrelation to form a closure in the container.

Another object is to produce a stopper assembly of the type describedwhich is quickly adjustable to open and closed positions without removalfrom the container and it is a related object to provide suflicientresiliency in the stopper assembly to permit impact without transmissionof forces to the container and thereby prevent breakage use.

A further object is to provide a stopper formed of parts adjustable toone position for eifecting a sealing relation with the container and toanother position to open the container and permit access to the interiorthereof, and it is a related object to provide a stopper assembly of thetype described which is bodily removable from the container for purposesof cleaning and replacement of parts.

A still further object is to produce a stopper assembly of the typedescribed which embodies an improved pouring lip when in position of useto prevent drip of content material onto the walls of the casing and toimprove the pouring relation.

These "and other objects and advantages of this invention willhereinafter appear, and for purposes of illustration, but not oflimitation, an embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanyingdrawing in which- Figure l is a sectional elevational view of the upperend portion of a container having a stopper assembly embodying featuresof this invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Figure l butwith the elements shown in open position;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 33 ofFigure 2;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one modification of the spider elementforming a part of the stopper assembly shown in Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a sectional elevational view of the resilient element inwhich the spider of Figure 4 is inserted in position of use.

Description herein will be made of a closure or stopper assembly inposition of use with a vacuum bottle comprising a glass filler formed ofan outer blank 11 and an inner blank 12 joined together in spaced apartrelation with the area therebetween exhausted to subatmosphericconditions to minimze transfer of heat in either direction. The glassfiller it) is enclosed within a casing 13 formed of metal, plastics orother rigid material having a rubber gasket 14 to establish a sealingrelation between the upper end of the casing and the adjacent neckportion 15 of the glass filler. The portion adjacent the States Patentthe central portion but complete -identity upper end of the casing maybe threaded, as at 16, to receive a cup member (not shown) whichfunctions as a cap for the vacuum bottle when in mounted relation.

The stopper embodying the featuresof this invention comprises acylindrical member 17 formed of rubber or other resilient materialcorresponding in shape throughout the body portion 18 to that of theneck of the container and dimensioned frictionally to engage the wallsthereof when inserted. Annular ribs 19 or serrations are provided in theouter wall of the body portion 18 for purposes of establishing a bettergripping relation with the adjacent Wall of the glassfillernotwithstanding slight variations which might exist in thedimensions thereof so asto adapt the cylindrical member for glassfillers of slightly varying shape or size. The upper-end portion of thecylindrical member is formed with an outwardly extending curvilinear lip20 which embraces the upper end of the glass filler to provide animproved pouring spout and to protect the glass filler againstdestruction by impacts against the upper edge thereof.

The body portion of the cylindrical section is of greater thickness thanthe lip thereby to provide an annular ledge 21 extending inwardly fromthe base of the lip to establish a sealing relation all around with thecap member, as will hereinafter appear. Intermediate the ends, the innerwall of the body portion is provided with a plurality of verticallydisposed grooves or notches 22 in substantially equally spaced apartrelation wherein legs 23 of 'a spider member 24 are anchored toestablish a mounted relation.

The spider 24 comprises a rigid member formed 'of molded plastics orother substance having a low coefficient of friction and capable ofretaining its shape. The plurality of legs 23, such as the fourillustrated in Figure 3, extend radially in spaced apart relation from acentral hub 25 having a cylindrical bore 26 extending through thereofwith screw threads 27 formed in the wall thereof. 'While thespider maybe formed of a unitary structure that is capable of being snapped intoposition with the outer end portions 28 of the legs-23 seated within thenotches 22, for purposes of economy in manufacture and assembly it isexpedient to mold the spider of a pair of identical semicircularsections split centrally through diametrically opposed legs. Thethreadedportions in the-bore of the hub may be formed to providecontinuous'threads when in the assembled relation inconstruction ispermitted when the spider sections are formed of threads having a doublelead to permit interchange of one for another without destroying thecontinuity of threads therein. For purposes of alignment, a plurality ofrecesses 29 may be provided in the split walls with pegs inserted in onefor entrance into another when face to face with each other for assemblyor recesses may be provided in one side and pegs on the other to providean interfitting relation if the parts are otherwise identical.

The desired sealing relation in the stopper is effected by means of anannular gasket 3i) seated Within a groove 31 formed in a head having anannular disc 32 dimensioned to extend beyond the ledge 21 and anotherannular disc 33 dimensioned to be less than the distance between theinner walls of the body portion thereby to enable the underside of thesealing gasket to engage a substantial portion of the ledge 21 whenurged into contact therewith thereby to establish a sealing relation.Actuation of the sealing gasket into and out of sealing engagement withthe ledge 21 is effected by a knob 34 extending upwardly from the headand which functions as a tool to facilitate turning movement. Acylindrical spindle 35 depending from the gasket supporting head isthreaded through its outer wall which extends through the bore of thespider in threaded engagement therewith whereby turning movement of thehead causes the unit 3 to be actuated upwardly to open position anddownwardly to bring the sealing gasket into contacting relation with theledge. is formed with an outwardly extending disc 36 to limit upwardmovement of the stopper to open position.

In operation, as the stopper is turned in the counterclockwise directionfor one complete turn or more, the stopper portion is raised to separatethe sealing gasket 30 from the ledge 21 so as to provide a spacetherebetwen through which the content material may be poured or fluidadmitted to the container. When it is desired to establish a sealingrelation, the stopper is turned back in the clockwise direction untilthe sealing gasket is lowered into engagement with the ledge to seal offthe interior of the container. When in open position, the contentmaterial can flow through the space between the spider legs and out ofthe container. Cleansing of the bottle may be effected simply by rinsingbut it is preferred to remove the closure for more thorough cleaning.

It will be significant that engagement occurs between the rubber orresilient material to efiect the desired sealing relation whileactuation of the parts to and from their sealing relation takes place byreaction between rigid members having little surface friction to enableoperation of the closure device with minimum force to between open andclosed position.

While description herein has been made to the use of the closureassembly with a wide mouth vacuum bottle,

it will be understood that use can be made thereof with other containersand bottles.

It will be further understood that changes can be made in the details ofconstruction, arrangement and operation without departing from thespirit of the invention, especially as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A closure for a vacuum bottle, comprising a soft resilientrubber-like stopper having a hollow generally cylindrical downwardlytapering body portion adapted to be received in the neck of the vacuumbottle, said body portion having an axial aperture therethrough, saidbody portion having an upwardly facing internal annular shoulder thereonat the upper end of said aperture, a spider mounted in the lower endportion of said aperture and having an axial opening therein withinternal threads therealong, a plug having an externally threaded shankin threaded engagement with said opening in said spider, said plughaving an enlarged manually rotatable head on the upper end of saidshank for movement into and out of sealing engagement with said annularshoulder to close and open said aperture, said shank having an enlargedThe lower end portion of the spindle 35 s 4 retaining element on itslower end for limiting upward movement of said plug, and an annulartapering upwardly extending outwardly flaring curved pouring lip formedintegrally with said rubber-like stopper and surmounting said bodyportion above said shoulder.

2. A closure for a vacuum bottle, comprisng a soft resilient rubber-likestopper having a hollow generally cylindrical downwardly tapering bodyportion adapted to be received in the neck of the vacuum bottle, saidbody portion having an axial aperture therethrough, said body portionhaving an upwardly facing internal annular shoulder thereon at the upperend of said ape'rture, a spider mounted in the lower end portion of saidaperture and having an axial opening therein with doublelead internalthreads therealong, said spider having a plurality of radial arms andbeing split longitudinally along a diametrical plane bisecting a pair ofsaid arms to define a pair of identical half-spider elements composingsaid spider, said body portion having a plurality of grooves in thelower end of said aperture for receiving said arms and holding saidhalf-spider elements in abutting assembled relation, said half-spiderelements having interlocking elements thereon for maintainingregistration therebetween, said half-spider elements having identicaldouble-lead thread elements therein composing said double-lead threads,a plug having an externally double-threaded shank in threaded engagementwith said opening in said spider, said plug having an enlarged manuallyrotatable head on the upper end of said shank for movement into and outof scaling engagement with said annular shoulder to close and open saidaperture, said head having a soft resilient annular gasket carried onthe underside thereof for engaging said shoulder, said shank having anenlarged retaining element on its lower end for limiting upward movementof said plug, and an annular tapering upwardly extending outwardlyflaring curved pouring lip formed integrally with said rubber-likestopper and surmounting said body portion above said shoulder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

